[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 161 (Thursday, August 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44603-44604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22460]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-080-1]
Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of a
permit to allow the field testing of genetically engineered organisms.
The environmental assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that
the field testing of the genetically engineered organisms will not
present a risk of introducing or disseminating a plant pest and will
not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact
statement need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact are available for public inspection at USDA, room
1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect those documents are
requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the
reading room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Arnold Foudin, Assistant Director,
Scientific Services, PPQ, APHIS, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road Unit 147,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7710. For copies of the
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact, contact
Ms. Linda Lightle at (301) 734-8231; e-mail: Linda.Lightle@usda.gov.
Please refer to the permit number listed below when ordering documents.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340 (referred
to below as the regulations) regulate the introduction (importation,
interstate movement, and release into the environment) of genetically
engineered organisms and products that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests (regulated articles). A permit must
be obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article
may be introduced into the United States. The regulations set forth the
permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the
importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment of a
regulated article.
In the course of reviewing the permit application, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) assessed the impact on the
environment that releasing the organisms under the conditions described
in the permit application would have. APHIS has issued a permit for the
field testing of the organisms listed below after concluding that the
organisms will not present a risk of plant pest introduction or
dissemination and will not have a significant impact on the quality of
the human environment. The environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact, which are based on data submitted by the applicant
and on a review of other relevant literature, provide the public with
documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of the environmental
impacts associated with conducting the field test.
An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of a permit to
allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered
organisms:
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Permit No. Permittee Date Issued Organisms Field Test Location
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98-120-01r................ Biosource 7-15-98 Tobacco etch virus Kentucky.
Technologies, Inc. genetically engi-
neered to express
genes of pharma-
ceutical interest.
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[[Page 44604]]
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2)
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing
the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), (3) USDA
regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of August, 1998.
Joan M. Arnoldi,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22460 Filed 8-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
